HERO OF THE WEEK
With all the wealth of choice, there is no alternative to the Minnesota goalkeeper Niklas Backstrom . In three winning matches of the week, he missed only one goal, reflecting 71 of 72 shots! Twice in a row zeroing “Edmonton”, Backstrom gave out a record dry series in the history of the club - 169 minutes 20 seconds - and helped the team finish the championship with unprecedented in the annals of “savages” 104 points.
PROFESSIONAL OF THE WEEK
For the first in two seasons Peter Forsberg's return to Denver, his former team prepared with dignity. The stands greeted the former Colorado striker with a deafening ovation. The scoreboard showed a video clip with the brightest goals of the Swede. He let go of a stingy male tear, waved a welcoming hand at the fans and ... twice assisted the snipers of the current Nashville team. Peter put a club to the winning goal of Paul Caria, depriving the hosts of their last hope of reaching the playoffs. “It's hard at heart, but you need to remain professional,” Forsberg admitted later.
RUSSIAN WEEKS
The goalkeeper of “Chicago” Nikolai Khabibulin spent his best match in the championship three days before its end. On Thursday’s battle with Detroit, Xaby fought off 56 of the 58 shots in the game, after which he repelled three more of the four shootings! Thanks to the phenomenal actions of the guard (according to some reports, who lost about five kilograms during the evening!), The “black hawks” extended the winning streak to four games. But the train in the playoffs was gone ...
In numerous interviews, Khabibulin regrets the lost and recalls the triumph of 2004 with Tampa. It was rumored that before the closing of the transfer market, the "lightnings" would return Khabi to their ranks. Not returned. Now the Russians have two years ahead of the four-year contract for $ 27 million, and Nikolai is not going to leave the sinking ship. "This is a test that I want to go through completely. The mission has not been completed yet, and I am very stubborn," said the highest paid Chicago player in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
The inflexible New York Islanders have gone through all the circles of hell on the way to the playoffs. Not only that, due to the effects of a concussion, the “islanders” didn’t get to the finish line of the main guard Rick DiPietro, and on the last day of the championship they leant with a leech for a long time to solve all the tournament tasks of “New Jersey”. What was left to the team of Ted Nolan? To rally around the 28-year-old goalkeeper Wade Dubelevich (whose portrait only appeared on the club’s official website last week!) And give a fitting rebuff to the “devils”! They cynically transferred the action to overtime less than a second before the end of the third period, but Viktor Kozlov put a fat exclamation mark in the shoot-out. Honor and praise to the heroes! And thrown overboard, “Toronto” is left to take offense at the “New Jersey” for the fact that the fateful Sunday evening let the main goalkeeper Martin Broder rest ...
TOPIC OF THE WEEK
It turns out that the long-standing Russian disease is inherent in the general manager of “New Jersey” Lou Lamorello . True, for him the craving for revolutionary change is not the general line of the party, but something akin to mental illness. Otherwise, how to explain the string of fourteen coaches that went through the East Rutherford hell in the nineteen years that Lamorello was in power? On Monday, another completely harmless Claude "serial killer" was a completely harmless Claude Julien. Motive? If he is, then hidden in the depths of the mysterious soul of Lou. The Devils are the first in the Atlantic Division. Under Julien, they won four victories in the last five matches. Victoria celebrated more than once or twice, playing three fives. Injuries to the stars and the salary ceiling press did not leave the coach a space for maneuver, but he somehow twisted out and held the bar high. Why, then, three matches before the end of the championship Julien, as they say, "asked"? According to Lamorello, this coach is not able to bring the club to the Stanley Cup. The team allegedly lost focus and is not ready for heated battles, either mentally or physically. Interestingly, in 2000, the general manager had similar suspicions about Robbie Ftorek. Then he picked up the banner eight games before the end of the regular season, Larry Robinson won the trophy. Can Lou's sixth sense bring New Jersey back to seventh heaven?
SOLIDARITY OF THE WEEK
If a year ago, “Carolina” and “Edmonton” went all the way to the main finals, but now they have flown amicably past the playoffs. For eight decades, nothing like this has been observed in the strongest league on the planet!
CONFUSES OF THE WEEK
During a Tuesday match with the Islanders, the Rangers goalkeeper Henrik Lundqvist got into a very delicate situation. When a team of three young girls left for the site in a commercial break to clear the ice from the snow, the Swede flatly refused to leave the gate. Moreover, he kicked the shovel of 23-year-old Kelly Higgins with a club, after which she scattered what was collected directly on the spot and even received a piercing blow with a pole in the abdomen. The girl began to meditate on the newspaper Newsday. Journalists conducted their own investigation. And they found that that same evening, another Rangers player ... spat in the passing beauty. Strange, however, guys defend the colors of the legendary club.
BATTLE OF THE WEEK
Tuesday, April 3rd. Minnesota - Edmonton: Derek Bugaard vs. Zach Stortini .
WEEKLY WEEK
Immediately two anniversaries moved to the beginning of next season forward “Washington” Alexander Ovechkin . Only two goals were not enough for him to the mark of 100 Enhael washers. Only a couple of points did not reach the Russian citizen to 200 points on the “goal + pass” system.
FIGURES OF THE WEEK
48 victories in the championship won the goalkeeper, “New Jersey” Martin Broder. One more NHL record set in season 73/74 by Bernie Parente! Here, however, three circumstances must be taken into account. First, Broder pulled ten games in overtime and shootouts, which was completely impossible a quarter century ago. Secondly, Parent completed a dozen meetings in a draw. Many of them would probably be transformed into victories, if he played according to the current rules. Finally, thirdly, Parent's record championship included 78 matches, and not 82, as it is now.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“It does not matter for us who takes the place in the gates of others. Even if Jesus himself stood there, we would try to beat him,” - Montreal head coach Guy Carbonno .
“I met Gordy Howe two weeks ago and promised him that I would end my career at 51. I don’t want someone else’s fame. He is Mr. Hockey, not me,” 45-year-old Detroit defender Chris Chelios , answering a question about chances break the record of longevity. Howe left the NHL in 52.
WAITING FOR THE WEEK
Only one will survive. Starting next week, the NHL begins to live according to the law of the Highlanders, which means that big hockey overseas is just beginning. No more standings! No shoot-outs! From now on, everyone is equal, and no one can exclude the option in which the quartets of the above will lose their distance after the first round. Last year’s Western Conference example is incredibly contagious.
CM. ALSO
Tuesday, April 3rd. “Montreal” - “Boston”: the captain of “Canadiens” Saku Koivu defeats half the guests and scores a spectacular goal!
Vladimir BYCHEK